Arthur
by An Ordinary Riceball
Summary: Arthur feels he must always strong for his mother, who was excuted for his sake when he was younger. His name means that he has to be brave and not cry no matter what. What he doesn't realize is that sometimes, it's okay to cry. Can another boy named Alfred, and his friends show Arthur the true meaning of strength or will he continue sinking? USUK-Friendship Human AU. Future fic.
1. Chapter 1

_**Story: Arthur  
**__**Summary: Arthur feels he must always strong for his mother, whom he had made a promise to when he was younger. His name means that he has to be brave, and not cry.  
**__**Disclaimer: Me not own Hetalia, 'kay?**_

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"Mama, what is the Chinese invasion?" Young Arthur questioned out of curiosity.

His mother, who was also the queen of England, gazed over at him with a saddened expression, as she signaled for him to come over.

Once he did, she picked him up, putting him on her lap.

"Why are you sad?" he asked, putting his hand on her face. She gave a sad smile, holding his hand.

"Arthur, promise me that you'll always stay strong." she pleaded. He looked up at her smiling confidently.

"I will, mama. And I promise I'll be brave too!" he told her.

"Yes, I'm sure you will... Thank you, Arthur..." She smiled in slight relief, rubbing his head. "and as long as you stay that way, you won't have to know anything else. Just know that I'll always love you...and I will always be be with you, even if you can't see me..."

Arthur didn't know what he'd done wrong, but last thing he remembered from that day was her holding him close to her chest and crying.

...

"Mother?" Arthur swallowed, slightly trembling.

He didn't understand why, but Chinese Soldiers were outside his home, asking for the queen.

"Mother?" he repeated. After some time, he'd taken to the habit of calling her 'mother' instead of 'mama'. It was mainly for respect's sake.

"What is it, Arthur?" she kindly questioned, stepping out of her dressing room.

"Some Chinese soilders are here." he explained. "They want to talk with you."

His mother looked away, a serious expression on her face.

"So it's time..." she muttered.

"Time for what?" Arthur wanted to know. "What's going on, Mother?"

Elizeva gazed down at him; her only child, before smiling sadly.

"I don't understand what's-" he started to say, when she pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Don't worry. I know it'll be hard, but always remember what I told you. Always be strong, my child." She told him, and wth that, she let go of him, leaving the room.

In some ways he wished he hadn't followed her, but for some reason he did.

"Queen Elizeva, the Emperor of China has had enough of your opposition, and has demanded for your execution along with the king. However, as the Queen of England, he has granted you one last wish. What will it be?"

_'Execution?' _Arthur thought, tears in his eyes. He wished this was a dream, but he knew it wasn't.

Elizava looked the the soldiers in the eyes as she spoke. "Spare my child from slavery. Send him him to somewhere not under the rule of China so that he may have the freedom to live a normal life and attend school like other children his age."

"Your request shall be granted." The Soldiers bowed.

And with that, they left, along with his mother.

_-End of Chapter_

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_**A/N: What do you think? **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Story: Arthur, Chapter 2**_

_**I don't own Hetalia**_

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About seven years had passed since Arthur had last seen his mother. He kept wishing that it all was just a dream; that he would wake up and she would be there when he did, but down deep, he knew it was only empty wishes.

She was gone.

"Arthur Kirkland?" Arthur looked up at Mrs. Conney, his Math Teacher, as his name was called.

"Here." he announced, momentarily raising a hand, before leaning his cheek into his palm. He sighed, brooding out the window.

The teacher was reviewing on the pathagorum therum. All through out class, however, he wasn't really paying attention. His mind kept drifting off on to the past. He just couldn't get focused.

Well, it wasn't like it mattered, though. He already knew everything he needed to know for that topic. He was even known as a prodigy in a lot of his subjects, including art.

Not that he cared. The only thing that he could think when others commented on his academic skills were that he didn't deserve their praise.

He never could forget that his mother and father had done everything they could to protect him from having to be a slave to the Chinese government, and as a result, they were executed. All for him.

"Why?" was all he could ask. He would have been fine with being a slave, just as long as he knew his mother would be okay.

Why did people have to sacrifice their life for him? What was so great about him? Sure he was _academically_ gifted, but what did that amount to against the Chinese army? Math wouldn't save his or anyone else's life. It just wouldn't.

Right as that thought came into mind, the bell rang.

"Oh, it's already over?" the teacher looked up. "We'll have to finish the review tomorrow. Your homework is to answer questions one through ten on page two ninety seven."

Some of the kids in the class got up excitedly, immediately rushing out the the door. He stood there for a moment, before following behind.

As he was walking through the hallway, something caught his eye, but before he could turn to it, someone crashed into him, knocking him down.

"Hey, I'm so sorry! I guess I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay?!"

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_**A/N: How was it? Sorry about how short it is. I'm using a phone for this, so I have very little patience, considering how small the darn keys are.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Story: Arthur, Chapter 3  
Note: For several reasons, in this AU, Sealand, who won't play MUCH of a role, per say, is going to be a female. Her name will be 'Wendy Kirkland' just because... Even so, honestly, I'm not that fond of genderbenders, but considering the role and everything, Sealand, unfortunately has pretty much the closest personality to fit it, but I can't see it being played by a male, so female Sealand it his! (No more genderbended characters, though. Promise.) {Please don't let that stop you from this. I don't like it any better than you do, so...please...?}  
**__**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia, nor it's official characters, however, I DO own this story's universe and plot, if that counts for something... :P**_

_**Also, Alfred, may seem a little OOC in this, but there's a reason as to why, which you'll soon enough find out, so don't worry, kay? ;)**_

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"Hey, I-I'm really sorry! I guess I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay?"

Arthur had honestly never seen someone with such brilliant blue eyes before, nor a 'cowlick' (could it even be called that?) that basically defied gravity!

"Hello? Earth to Arthur? H-hey, dude, you're kind of starting to creep me out a little..."

Realization suddenly set in at what he was doing, as he coughed a little awkwardly.

"Oh, right, sorry. Wait, how the bloody hell do you know my name?!" he suddenly demanded. The boy held up his hands a little defensively.

"Hehe... Well, we're in the same class, I suppose, but I guess I haven't been coming a lot lately..." he explained, seemingly a little nervously, gazing off a bit absentmindedly, before getting up, extending a hand to help him up. He smiled. "My name's Alfred, by the way, but if you want, you can just call me 'Al'."

"I'm still pretty sure I would've remembered someone like you, but, whatever..." Arthur muttered, before looking back up, taking his hand, a little reluctantly. Normally, he wouldn't have accepted his help, but considering that he was partially to blame for their collision, it would've been rude not to. "Well, I suppose you already know my name, but I guess I'll be polite anyway. I'm Arthur Kirkland."

With that, they shook hands, before Arthur turned away, swallowing painfully. Alfred smile faded, as he saw this, his hand dropping to his side.

"Look, I know this is kind of abrupt, but, if you're trying to become my friend or something... we just can't... I'm sorry."

"No, it's, um..." Alfred started to say, but before he could continue, he turned to see that Arthur had already left.

"That was a bit weird..." he thought aloud, confusingly.

Meanwhile, Arthur ran to the bus in a hurry. For once, he was actually gracious to go 'home'. He still didn't see that place as home, and he probably never would. All those people cared about was the money, he was almost certain. Despite that, at least he _usually_ had some space to himself, without than teachers and students constantly breathing down his neck all the time, like they did at school.

Seriously, just because he was a prodigy didn't mean he knew _everything_. He wasn't as much of a genius as they thought, anyway. He just _studied_.

Well_,_ if you could _call_ it that. He was constantly pushing himself harder and harder. No matter what, he wouldn't stop. He thought maybe it would've made his mother and father happy if he did his very best, but even his 'best' work never seemed to satisfy him. He didn't know why, but he always felt as though he could do better.

He never wanted to take any breaks for it made him feel as though he felt he was giving in.

"Hey, boy," someone said, abruptly flicking him in the back of the head, snapping him out of his thoughts. Doing his best to fight back his annoyance, the sun-blond haired boy looked up, as his name was called. The bus driver looked back at him through the mirror.

"Are you getting off or what? This _is _your stop, isn't it?" she more-stated-than-questioned.

"Oh, sorry..." he muttered.

As he got up, he heard some kids begin to laugh and giggle, whispering amongst themselves, eventually to be followed by more giggles.

"Tch." He grunted, agitated, as he got off the bus, making his way to his supposed 'home'. As he was approaching the lot, he was expectedly tackled to the ground by his blonde haired 'younger sister', Wendy Kirkland.

Naturally, she wasn't actually his biological sister, but just like him, she was also a foster child who'd came from England and even had almost the same, but just a tad darker, sun-blond hair as well, and just so happened to have the same last name as him. Out of all the children in the home, she'd grown the most attached to him, far more than _him_ to _her_, of course...

"Artie!" she chimed cheerfully.

"Wendy, I told you to quit calling me that." Arthur growled irritably.

"But why?! It's so cute, Artie!" Wendy squealed, coddling him like a stuffed animal, which only increased his irritation.

"Get the bloody hell off of me!" he shouted, as he got up, dusting off his pants.

"Hmph...You're no fun, you big jerk..." Wendy pouted, before looking back up at him, as he was walking ahead to the large house. "Hey, where are you going?"

"My room." he answered simply after they both had came in. "Where else would I be going?"

"Oh, okay..." she gazed away sadly, stopping in the middle of the room.

He made his way to his room, taking off his bag. Closing the door behind him, he immediately sat down at his desk, pulling out his textbook and some notebook paper.

After he'd completed his homework, he slipped his stuff back into his bag, before he was called downstairs for dinner.

The meal was fairly pleasant that evening, however, a little too quiet for his liking. Mr. Smith, the foster father seemed to be extremely agravated, and no one dared to ask why, but the answer was fairly obvious considering, it was nearing the end of the month. He usually drank at least every other night, but he wouldn't have been able to afford it. In a lot ways, though, he seemed to feel a lot more at ease. Often, when the guy got drunk, things were thrown, and he could get downright violent. However, considering how he could completely divert the truth, and lie straight to someone's face, but at the same time, scare his foster children half to death, not a single person dared to tell a soul about what was going on behind closed doors.

He could also tell there was some tension between his other adopted twin siblings, Kyle and Ryley. Usually, they were the first to speak, but they hadn't uttered a single word since coming to the table. It kind of seemed to surprise him, but he dismissed the thought until Wendy brought it up again.

"Is something wrong with them?" Wendy whispered to him. "Kyle looks really upset."

"I'm not sure..." Arthur answered honestly.

Before he could say anything else, Kyle stood up, pushing in his chair.

Everyone looked up at him, only half interested.

"I'm going to bed..." he muttered, putting his dishes in the sink, as he glared at Ryley, who immediately looked away.

"Whatever..." Mr. Smith grumbled. And, eventually, everyone else started leaving as well.

As Arthur lied in bed that night, he stared into the darkness thinking back over the day's happenings.

Remembering the blue-eyed teen from earlier, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

Due to his awkwardness, he probably got _enough _attention, and was most likely pushed around a lot. That's how people were; anyone who stood out in the slightest bit, were usually always picked out of the crowd as being 'weird', or 'strange' or in some cases 'revolting'. He had to deal with it enough, due to those damn eyebrows of his.

While he didn't want be anyone's friend, he still couldn't help but sympathize with the boy. It's the _least _he could do.

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_**A/N: What do ya think? I'm also definitely planning to eventually introduce Kiku in this story, sooner or later, just cause I can see them being great friends, and considering they do get along**_** fairly_ well, even in _canon**_**. Also, I am making NO promises to finish this, despite how much I want to. **_

**No, there will not be wars in this, nor a bunch of action, for that is one of the biggest things that detour me from _being able _to write, anywho, I hope someone enjoys this.**

**Chao! ;D**


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